Mercy's story
by Ravenwood240
Summary: Complete! When I wrote the Prophecy AU, I created Mercy Riddle, Voldemort's daughter. This is her story before she came to Hogwarts and met the Eight.
1. Beginnings

Mercy's story  
  
Lord Voldemort was in an evil mood. Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore had rescued four members of the Order of the Phoenix just two days ago. In the process, they had captured almost a dozen Death Eaters. Voldemort was running low on lackeys, as he was not able to recruit more with the War going badly for him. He was alone now, and he considered his options carefully. After nearly 36 years, he was losing, something he only admitted to himself. He had to find a way to survive, without being captured. The problem with that was the link with Harry Potter. As long as both of them survived, the other one would be able to feel him in times of stress and great emotions. Tom Riddle needed to destroy the link, so he could hide from everyone until he was ready to try again. The flush of power had undone him 30 years ago, that and the inexperience of youth. If he could just gain a breathing space, a few years to finish his research into immortality, he would be impossible to stop.  
  
Lord Voldemort thought about his problem for a long time. He had to change enough to break the link while maintaining his own personality. A thought struck him, and he picked up one of the books he had recorded the results of all his research in. Very few wizards had delved as deeply into the magics of aging and body transfers as he had over the last thirty years, and none of the others had been dark wizards. That simple fact had opened doorways into magics no ethical wizard would even consider. He found the section he was looking for, and read it again. This would be perfect. Now all he needed was a witch, and his survival would be secured. The next couple of hours passed quickly as he planned.  
  
"You wanted to see me my Lord?" Voldemort looked up from the parchment he was working on and smiled at his servant.  
  
Voldemort needed a witch for his plan and after due consideration, Ariel Redstone was the only real choice. She was a pureblood witch with strong personal power. She was also intelligent, good-looking and under his own "Imperius Curse" spell, which meant she would do everything he wanted, whether she wanted to or not. "I did indeed Ariel," he purred in a silken tone. "You and I have some business to discuss." Voldemort considered his slave and smiled. "I have chosen you to bear my son."  
  
Ariel stared at him in shock. She said, "That is an honor my Lord." Deep inside herself, where her thoughts were her own, Ariel was screaming. "He's lost his mind. How do I get out of this?" Voldemort's controlling spell had her obedience, but her inner self was still her own. Even as she planned the spell and things she needed to do with him, deep inside she was trying to find a way out of it.  
  
As Ariel prepared for the wedding and wedding night over the next two days, she tried repeatedly to break the " Imperius " spell that held her. Voldemort needed the wedding to cast a difficult spell binding the child of their union to him, and prepare the child for the even more difficult spell that would exchange the child's spirit with his. Voldemort figured that the process of mingling the child's spirit and his, and then changing bodies would break the link. If nothing else, when the Order of the Phoenix found his residence, they would take his body away, and he would be free to continue his work. It might take a few years while the body matured but that would just give Albus Dumbledore more time to die. Without Dumbledore, the Order didn't have the power to stand against Voldemort.  
  
While the preparations for the ceremony were going on, the Order of the Phoenix had captured almost half of the remaining Death Eaters including Lucius and Draco Malfoy. Voldemort was making plans to abandon the remaining Death Eaters and hide until the baby was born.  
  
Ariel was laying her own plans. She had tried to break the Imperius spell and failed, and Tom Riddle kept her under control, preventing her from using her magic except at his orders. Knowing that she could not do anything against him openly sent her mind down other paths. Once the ceremony started, there was a short time when Voldemort would have to release her magic, as she had to help cast the one part of the spell. He would still have her body under control, but that was her only chance to do anything. Her decision was made while she listened to Voldemort talk about how he would use the baby's body to hide in. She smiled inside, where her will was trapped. She might not be able to openly defy Riddle, but this would be almost as good. Lacking access to spellbooks, she was forced to carefully work out what she would need to do in her head.  
  
The day of the ceremony came and Ariel was ready. She had tried everything she could to escape, but since that had failed, she was going to ruin Voldemort's plans another way. Attended by the four Death Eaters that would be assisting in casting the spell, she faced Voldemort waiting for her chance. The four lackeys took their positions, and Voldemort began the spell, and they began their part of it. The Muggle priest that had been taken and controlled for the ceremony was instructed to begin, and Ariel could feel the magic flowing through her.  
  
Ariel's chance came about halfway through the ceremony. As the Priest asked her to love, honor and cherish Thomas Riddle, Voldemort had to release her Imperius spell for her to cast her part of the spell that would insure her fertility this night. Ariel cast the spell, with the little change she had made, and waited for one of the others to notice what she had done. Busy with the much harder spell that they were concentrating on, none of the others noticed the change, and Ariel's glee blazed inside her as she thought of Tom's response when he did figure out what had happened. She sobered suddenly, as she realized that Voldemort would surely kill her, but then she relaxed. She had known he would be the death of her since he put the spell on her, and this merely hastened the day.  
  
The ceremony complete, Voldemort gave the priest to the four Death Eaters that had assisted in the spell, and led Ariel down the hall to his rooms. Ariel could feel the spell lodged under her heart like a warm spot, and the knowledge of what Riddle was about to do to her drove her hidden mind to the brink of madness. Voldemort led her to his bed, and with a single brutal pull, stripped the robes she had worn from her.  
  
Two days later, when the bruises and welts had been healed, Voldemort had her examined by a Death Eater that knew something of Mediwizardry. The witch was complete, and when she was done, she went to Voldemort with Ariel in tow. "My Lord, your wife is fine, and the baby is growing well. You will have a fine daughter in nine months." Voldemort sat there, and at first Ariel thought he had not heard the one critical word. The burning look he turned on her told her he had heard it.  
  
"Did you say daughter?" he hissed, and the woman paled. "I know I cast a spell to insure the firstborn was a boy, so what could possibly have happened Ariel?" His first question had not required an answer, but as the silence lengthened, Ariel realized he was waiting for the second one to be answered. She brought her head up, knowing she was about to die. Her sole consolation was that Voldemort would get neither her nor the child in her womb. She only had two choices now, to try to anger him so much he merely killed her, or to die after her finished torturing her.  
  
"I changed the sex, during the ceremony. I decided you would like being a girl Tom. After all, you're already a spoiled whiney brat, now you'll be able to be a spoiled whiney bitch." Ariel looked at the fury burning in Voldemort's eyes, and pushed harder. "You should thank me. All that time with the Malfoys couldn't have been just business. In addition, Peter was always sniffing around your butt anyway. Now, you'll be able to let them do to you what you've done to all of us." Ariel stopped suddenly, as Voldemort drew his wand.  
  
Ariel closed her eyes, waiting for the spell that would end her life, and she heard Riddle start the killing curse, when everything changed in the blink of an eye.  
  
Two explosions rocked the cave that was Voldemort's final stronghold, and wizards were suddenly pouring in through holes blasted right through the walls. Chaos and confusion was running rampant, and Ariel took advantage of the mayhem to hide in a nearby niche. Voldemort took control of his forces, and Ariel had a front row seat for the final battle between Harry Potter and Voldemort. She was one of only four people that saw the expression on Harry's face as he killed another human for the first time.  
  
When the fighting was over, and the prisoners rounded up, Ariel was brought out with them. Despondent with the death of their lord, and facing a lifetime in Azkaban, the remaining Death Eaters gave the Order of the Phoenix no trouble. Ariel went along, trusting that everything would be straightened out quickly.  
  
Ariel's trial was one of the last, and there were no witnesses that had been at the ceremony. Voldemort and all four of the Death Eaters that had been there had fallen in the last battle. There were however, more than a dozen witnesses to Riddle announcing their marriage, and the fact that she was carrying his child. Ariel protested, but every wizard that had come up had claimed to have been controlled, and the judges were sick of hearing that defense.  
  
Ariel was sentenced to life in Azkaban.  
  
She would bear her child, and then, since the baby was innocent, it would be taken and fostered among wizards if it was a wizard child, or given to muggles if not. Ariel fainted at the sentencing, and missed hearing Albus Dumbledore promising to look after the child.  
  
The next six months were long ones for Ariel, as she waited in the prison for the dementors to come around. What she never quite realized was that the loving thoughts she had of the child she carried kept them away. As long as she had the child with her, she could not be brought to the total despair that the dementors needed to drain her. They were also fleeting months, as she knew that when the girl was born she would be taken away, and Ariel would be alone in Azkaban for the rest of her life.  
  
She made what arrangements she could to make sure that her baby got her inheritances from both the Riddles and her, and at the one meeting with Dumbledore, who would be the child's guardian, she told him what she had decided to name her.  
  
Mercy. 


	2. A little knowledge

Mercy's story, pt 2  
  
Albus Dumbledore sat and pondered the letter that had been delivered by owl.  
  
Dear Uncle Dumbledore,  
  
How are you? I am doing fine in school. My family is doing well, but that is what wanted to talk to you about. I know that you know about my real family, and I was wondering if you could tell me about them. I really need to know. Everyone at school knows who their parents are except me. If you could send me an owl, it would be appreciated. Thank you very much.  
  
Love, Mercy  
  
PS. Say hello to Fawkes for me. Mercy  
  
Albus sighed, remembering the tragic circumstances of Mercy's birth seven years earlier. Toward the end of the Voldemort War, Voldemort had conceived a desperate plan to escape the fate he saw coming. He had married and impregnated one of his Death Eaters, intending to switch places with the baby's spirit after it was born. However, Harry and the Order of the Phoenix had found Voldemort's base before the child was born. Mercy's mother Ariel Redstone had been sentenced to the wizard prison and had given birth to Mercy there. Mercy had been born there and removed into Albus's care two days after the birth. Albus had placed Mercy with a muggle born wizard's family so that Mercy would be comfortable in both worlds. He had foreseen that Mercy would be asking this question and the answer would be hard for her to handle. After the mistakes Albus had made not telling Harry everything during his years at Hogwarts, Dumbledore had decided to be honest with Mercy.  
  
Albus took a deep breath and decided to have Mercy come to Hogwarts for the weekend. Being the summer holiday, she would not be in the way, and she liked wandering the halls, looking at the portraits and statues that lined the halls. Albus wrote to Mercy and her guardians, making the arrangements for the weekend. After he sent the owl, Albus sat and considered how to tell a seven-year-old girl that her father was the most hated dark wizard ever.  
  
Saturday morning, the Hogwarts wards alerted Dumbledore to the imminent arrival of Mercy and her guardian. After dropping Mercy off and talking to Albus for a while Mercy's foster father left her with Albus. Dumbledore had not seen Mercy in almost a year and he was struck by how much she resembled her mother. Ariel Redstone had been a good-looking witch, with black hair and large dark expressive eyes, and Mercy was the same person writ smaller. She was a quiet child, with a serious nature and a calm manner of accepting everything that went on around her. Every time Albus saw her, he was struck again by her intelligence. Hermoine Granger might have been a little smarter, but Dumbledore wasn't sure about that. It was to be expected after all. Ariel Redstone had been one of Ravenclaw's best before falling prey to Voldemort's manipulations. Tom Riddle had also been a brilliant wizard during his time at Hogwarts, and Dumbledore had heard about the spell Voldemort had used to bind the child's spirit to his own. The spell had been designed to make sure that the body he would be inhabiting was physically fit and without flaws.  
  
Albus had some reservations about that that he kept to himself. Mercy didn't need to know yet that Albus was worried about the long term effects of manipulating Ariel's body to make sure she was fertile on a specific night and doing that much magic on the egg and sperm before conception even. He had not found anything wrong with her yet and he offered up another plea to the universe that it stayed that way. Mercy and Dumbledore spent an hour walking through the halls, talking to the portrait's occupants and the ghosts. The two of them finally went outside and started walking around the grounds.  
  
Mercy put her hand in Albus's and waited patiently. "I'm not sure how to tell you about your parents Mercy." Dumbledore said.  
  
Mercy looked down at the ground. "They were on the dark wizard's side weren't they?"  
  
Dumbledore sighed. "Yes Mercy they were. I believe your mother was under a spell though, and not there of her own will."  
  
Mercy nodded slowly. "I thought it was that. You have been avoiding talking about them for almost year now, so it had to be bad."  
  
Albus reminded himself not to underestimate this child. She was smart, but more than that, she was perceptive. "The whole story is long, and it has some parts that are not very nice. One of them is that your father was Tom Riddle."  
  
Mercy walked for a few minutes in silence. "Tom Riddle was Voldemort's name. I read that in Dark Wizards of the Modern Age."  
  
Albus spoke softly. "Yes he was. However, before he was Voldemort, he was a student at Hogwarts named Tom Riddle. He was a very smart boy, but even then, he was not the best person. He opened the Chamber of Secrets and caused the death of a student."  
  
Mercy walked on in silence for a while, until Dumbledore was about to say something, but Mercy spoke before he did. "What about my mother? You said you think she was under a spell."  
  
Albus nodded, relieved that Mercy was taking this so calmly. "Your mother was Ariel Redstone, and she was here at the same time Tom was, but she was a Ravenclaw, and they had a bitter feud when they were here. I never knew what it was all about, but Ariel once hexed Tom during a Yule Ball. I do not believe that she would have changed so much that she would have married Voldemort of her own free will." Albus thought about the young witch that had been the Ravenclaw Keeper, and her nature. "Ariel was not the bravest person, but her sense of right and wrong was well developed, and I don't think she would have followed Voldemort. There is a spell that allows one person to control another person, and Tom would have thought it amusing to use it to have somebody that defied him before he was even Voldemort. That is what your mother said happened, and I believe her."  
  
The pair walked a bit further, and stopped at the lake. Mercy stared out at the water, and thought about what Professor Dumbledore had told her. She considered what Dumbledore said about her mother, and felt nothing but pity for the woman she didn't know. Controlled by a man she hated, and forced to marry him, she evoked pity in Mercy, but nothing else.  
  
Mercy had a harder time thinking about her father. Everyone knew about him. Voldemort, the greatest dark wizard of modern times, the man responsible for more death and destruction than any two other wizards in anyone's memory. The idea of being his child was disturbing. Mercy was smart enough to understand that people would not accept any member of the Riddle family easily, but she was more concerned about something else, a fear she voiced to Albus Dumbledore. "Will I be like him?"  
  
Dumbledore shook his head slowly. "The very fact that you ask that tells me that you won't be like him. Tom never asked if anything he did was right, he just did what he wanted, no matter the consequences to anyone else." Dumbledore faced Mercy and knelt, so they were on the same level and he could look into her eyes. "You have strength of will Mercy, and the compassion to know when you are hurting someone. As long as you think about what you are doing, you will be a decent human being."  
  
Albus reached out and took Mercy's chin in his hand. "Always remember this Mercy. While everyone else remembers that you are Riddle's child, you must always remember that you are also Ariel's child. She was not strong enough to resist the spell used on her, but you can be stronger than she was."  
  
Dumbledore searched Mercy's eyes, finding hurt and confusion. He pulled her close, and held her for a minute. Mercy pulled away and stared out over the lake. "If you don't mind Uncle Albus, I'd like to think about this alone for awhile." Albus got up, and looked at Mercy.  
  
"I'll be free to talk to you all weekend Mercy." he said gently. She smiled at him, and hugged him. Albus walked back to the school, wondering how Mercy was going to take this knowledge of her family. Mercy was a bright girl, but she was still only a young child. He sighed, feeling the weight of his years and responsibilities. Taking on a young child at his age might not have been the best thing to do, but he didn't know whom else to give Mercy to. The wizard family that he had fostered Mercy with was all muggles, with just the one wizard in their family, and he had just finished Hogwarts when the War ended. That meant that he had not really been affected by the war, and could be trusted to treat Mercy like a human being, and not like Riddle's child. Albus was hoping that it stayed that way, or he would have to find another place for Mercy, and that would be nearly impossible.  
  
Mercy stared out over the lake for a long time, but she did not see anything. Her thoughts were on her parents. She thought about what they were, and what she could become. Mercy was an intelligent child, but like most children faced with something that was too big for their experience she over reacted to her fears. Mercy decided the only way not to become like Tom was to go to the other extreme. As the sun set over the lake Mercy vowed to herself that she would never hurt anyone or anything in her life.  
  
Albus waited all through dinner for Mercy to say something, but Mercy was quiet, talking only about light things, and avoiding any talk of her family. Dumbledore respected her wishes, even though he could see something different about her. It was not anything you could point out to somebody that did not know Mercy, but it was there. Something in the eyes, or her expression, that said she was different than she had been.  
  
Mercy woke in the night sweating. She couldn't remember the details of the nightmare, but the residual fear it left behind told her it had been bad. She had been with her father as he killed many people, and they had both been laughing. Mercy lay in the bed in Dumbledore's quarters, and thought about the dream. She was still thinking about the dream when she slid back into sleep, and if she dreamed anymore, she didn't remember it in the morning.  
  
The next morning at breakfast Mercy told Albus what she had decided the night before. Dumbledore listened to her, and asked her if that wasn't just a bit extreme. Mercy looked at him with all the seriousness of a young child, and disagreed. "Uncle Albus, I refuse to be like him. This is the only way I can be sure I don't end up like him." Albus regarded her for a few minutes, and let her be. He thought that she would change her mind as she grew older. Dumbledore didn't have the gift of Foresight, to see the future, and in this case, that was a good thing. Had Albus known what Mercy's vow would cost her in a few short years, he might have been tempted to try to talk her out of this oath. It wouldn't have done him any good, but he might have tried. 


	3. Stormclouds

Mercy's story pt 3

Mercy had received an owl this morning that had her smiling and frowning by turns, completely unsure of how she felt.  She had read the acceptance letters three times, and the letter from the man she called Uncle Albus four times.  Mercy thought about the letter from Professor Dumbledore again.

_Dear Mercy,_

_Enclosed in my letter you will find your acceptance to the Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  You will also find a letter of acceptance from the North American School of Wizardry.  You may attend either school.  It is your choice, and you are smart enough to understand why I am offering you this choice.  I leave the final decision up to you however.  Whichever you choose, I am sure you will be a credit to that school, and to the parents who raised you.  Note also, that the letters do not mention your last name.  I have another offer for you.  If you wish, you can attend either school as Mercy Redstone.  I trust you understand the implications of this as well.  As always, you may owl me to discuss any of this.  _

_Whichever choice you make Mercy, I want you to know that you have been like a daughter to me these last eleven years, and that I would be proud to call you my child._

_Uncle Albus_

Mercy Marie Riddle knew exactly what would happen if she attended a wizard school as herself.  Being the only child of Tom Riddle doesn't sound that bad, but the offspring of Lord Voldemort did.  Mercy was both, and since Hermoine Granger-Weasley had published "Dark Wizards of the Twentieth Century" a few years back, everyone knew that Tom Riddle and Lord Voldemort were the same person.  Hermoine also knew about Mercy, as she had found the records of the trial of Arial Redstone during her research.  Albus had talked Hermoine into leaving the fact that Tom had a child out of her books, and Mercy was very grateful.

She sighed as she went back to staring at the two acceptance letters.  She frowned at the thought of using her mother's name.  Too many places in the wizard world had honesty spells around them for her to be comfortable with lying.  She smiled to herself ironically.  The truth was, Mercy couldn't lie at all.  Every time she tried, she was caught.  Something in her face or eyes always gave her away, even to children.  That made the whole idea of trying to use a name she didn't think of as hers impossible.

The North American School of Wizardry was an excellent school, with a good reputation.  Its only real problem as far as Mercy knew was that it was in America, and full of Americans.  Mercy flushed a deep red at the mildly biased thought, but she had met a few muggle tourists in London, and they had been loud, pushy and asked the most appallingly nosy questions.  On the other hand, the Voldemort War had been confined to the European wizards, and there might not be as much problem with prejudices and hatred over there.  Mercy rubbed her eyes as she felt a headache coming on.  She had a week to decide, and she decided to talk to Uncle Albus before she made any decisions. 

_Dear Uncle Albus,_

_I have been thinking about my options all morning and I can't really decide what to do.  I have already ruled out using my Mother's name.  First, as you know I can't lie, and I don't really think of that as my name.  To try to hide behind it for seven years would be impossible for that reason alone, but I have another thought as well.  How many Redstones are there?  How many of those know what happen to Ariel Redstone?  Of those, how many blame me for what happened to her, or would treat me worse for using their name?  No, I don't think that path is for me._

_The bigger problem to me is the choice of schools.  I have to weigh the lack of American involvement in the War against the brashness and generally rude behaviors they exhibit.  Do you know anything that might sway that decision one way or the other?_

_Love,_

_Mercy_

Albus Dumbledore considered the letter from Mercy very carefully before replying.  His heart told him to send her to the Americas.  She would be safer there.  His biggest problem with that was that he had grown very fond of her, and he wanted her somewhere he could protect her and help her along.  That would not be possible if she was in the North American School of Wizardry.  On the other hand, Mercy had already decided against using her mother's name for reasons that Albus thought were quite reasonable.

_Dear Mercy,_

_I fully understand your concerns about using your mother's name, although I think you might be overstating the dangers a bit.  That only leaves your choice of schools to be considered, and with that decision, I will try to be helpful.  Both schools have roughly equal means of teaching you what you need to know, although Hogwarts does have the older reputation, and greater prestige.  On the other hand, the N.A.S.W. enjoys a greater number of styles to train in.  North American Shamanism, Wizardry, and something known as Holistic magic, which I don't know that much about.  They also have classes in several other types of magic.  You could get a broader education in America, even if you have to put up with the Americans to do it._

_On the other hand, I might have a compelling reason for you to attend Hogwarts.  You must know that nothing I am about to tell you is to be told to anybody else.  There is another war coming, and you can find the Prophecy that covers it in 'Soulbonds through History' and 'Prophecies in history'.  It will be going on while you are at school, and centered on Hogwarts.  If you were to attend Hogwarts, you might be able to get started on your desire to fix all the things your father did.  I understand your need to make up for what he did as best you can, but I would feel better if you were somewhere I could keep an eye on you._

_In the end, Mercy, the entire thing is up to you.  Whatever you want to do, I will support you._

_Love,_

_Uncle Albus._

_Dear Uncle Albus,_

_I have decided to attend Hogwarts.  Mostly because I think I can help with the prophecy, although I am not sure how yet._

_Possibly, I could train as a Mediwitch for them.  I doubt they will need me for that because of the healer line, but it is one possibility.  Will you be coming to help me get my books?_

_Love,_

_Mercy_

_Dear Mercy,_

_I regret to inform you that due to circumstances out of my control, I will not be able to make the shopping trip this year.  I hope you are not too disappointed, and I will try to make it up to you later.  Don't forget to get those things we talked about while you're in Diagon Alley._

_Love,_

_Uncle Albus_

_Dear diary,_

_I couldn't do it last night.  I tried but the thought of having Professor McGonagall announce my name in front of the entire school chilled my blood, so I made sure I missed the whole thing.  That was not easy, but with Uncle Albus busy at the Ceremony, I managed it.  Uncle Albus has placed me in Slytherin.  I met the other first years this morning, and I am not impressed.  They can be even ruder than the Americans, just in other ways.  Somebody has already taken my best quill, and during potions, somebody added powered Bat Fur to my potion causing it to solidify and causing me to get a zero for the day.  I also had to spend nearly an hour getting my cauldron clean again.  I am not sure this is going to work here._

_Mercy_

_Dear Diary,_

_I am in Slytherin House.  Uncle Dumbledore put me here after I missed the Sorting Ceremony.  He says that I should be safer here because many of these people are related to Death-Eaters.  We'll just have to wait and see.  Inside the House, small cliques are forming, mostly based on families and reputations.  I am beginning to have some problems.  The house knows my name now, and while some of them completely ignore me, some of the other people are being verbally abusive.  I can deal with that.  I do feel sorry for Sonya and those other three though.  They aren't from families that allow them to get in a clique and they were not expecting the time they're having.  I hope they can get away from that._

_Dear Diary,_

_It continues to get worse.  It's been a week since the sorting ceremony, and some of the other Slytherins continue to torment me.  I have been tripped, pinched, threatened and otherwise harassed since that first day.  The Goyles and Crabbe are the worst, but since I cannot join any of the little cliques that form in this house for protection, I am fair game for everybody.  As far as I can tell, only a few students don't join in tormenting me.  I am so thankful for those students._

_Mercy._

_Dear Diary,_

_I can't stand this place, but how can I tell Uncle Albus that I hate his school?  He would be so disappointed.  However, I have to do something, a group of Slytherins broke into my things while I was out today and destroyed everything in there.  I will have to make without the things I couldn't repair.  I will have to stay in my room as much as possible to protect my things.  Not that I could do anything, as I am still holding to my oath of non-violence, despite everything going on._

_Mercy._

_Diary._

_I hate this place, the people here and everything to do with Hogwarts.  I wish I'd never heard of Hogwarts or the Riddles.  I can't take much more.  That Goyle has started touching me when nobody can see.  He says he isn't and I don't know how to prove he is.  I know he is though, he's touched my breasts 5 times today, telling me that I should be glad that anyone is willing to come within arm's length of a freak like me.  What am I going to do?_

_Diary,_

_To hell with it.  I'm going to ask Uncle Albus to send me away.  I can't hide from Goyle anymore, and he's really beginning to scare me.  Today he spent ten minutes holding me down in a closet while he took my knickers.  He says he's going to show them to everyone and tell them that I took them off and asked him to have sex with me.  On top of that, two of the girls came in my room and dumped a big tub of cold water over me every time I fell asleep.  I am beginning to wonder how dying would feel, and if anything could be worse than the Hell I'm in now._

_Mercy._

_Dear Diary,_

_The most scarywonderfulbadgood thing happened today.  I was down walking by the lake, and Crabbe and Dunsutter attacked me again.  Before they could do anything, James Evans and Tiffany Potter arrived.  I have to say, that I am ashamed of how glad I was at first that James hurt him.  (Diary, what Tiffany did to Dunsutter shouldn't happen to anyone.)  Anyway, to make a long story short, James and all his friends treat me like a person and even offered to back me up against the whole school.  The Hat finally sorted me, and it put me in Ravenclaw.  Tomorrow morning I have to go to my new house.  I hope it is better than Slytherin because I don't want James hurting anybody else like he hurt Crabbe, not on my account anyway.  James has the most amazing set of links.  One of course is the Soulbond with Tiffany, but his twinbond with his twin is nearly as good.  I know he's Soulbonded, but after he rescued me like that, and accepted me for who I am without a qualm, I think I have a crush on him.  He's in my thoughts all the time, and I want to spend more time with him._

_Mercy_

_Dear Diary,_

_It's been a month since I needed to write in you.  Since you were there for me when I needed you, I thought I would tell you why I have left you alone so long.  After what James did, nobody is trying to do more than insult me, and even then, they look around for James first.  I love Ravenclaw.  Everybody here is so smart, and they only care that I am too.  We have puzzle games and word games in the common room at night, and sometimes we'll ever use a muggle game called Scrabble, which is simply the greatest game.  (Can you tell I won that game?)  I have to go Diary, we're debating the conservation of mass law, or where does the weight go when a 150 pound woman becomes a ten pound cat?  Of course, my side is going to win.  Bye for now._

_Thanks Diary._

_Mercy _


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